Support
by Lady Dudley
Summary: Another Stuart fic, set during "Death Trap." More of Stuart's musings on what goes on and his attempt to make things better. Implied Michael/Jackie and Robbie/Jackie


**A/N: This is another Stuart story, I had started it this morning but didn't really like how I'd finished it. But then I wrote "Dogsbody" and found a _new_ ending :) Hope you like it, it's sort of a follow on from "Dogsbody" as it looks at what happens when Robbie comes in. It's more of Stuart's background musings as he really does strike me as the quiet one in the corner (who's not really quiet, he's plotting)**** who everyone seems to ignore, but he's the only one who really knows what's going on. I also see him as the one who'd quietly give support, the one who everyone can count on. Good ol' Stuart :)**

**Please don't flame me, but this is how I see Jackie and Robbie's relationship: potential for more, but not while Michael was still around.**

**This is set during _Death Trap_**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. **

**_Support_**

Stuart had heard snatches of what Burke had said to Jackie about Michael's death. His parting line about her not knowing Michael as well she thought had, he knew, struck a nerve. For if there was one thing Stuart knew about Jackie Reid it was that she held her friendship with Michael, held Michael himself, in very high regard. He also knew that it had gone both ways.

Though Stuart had never been entirely sure of how high that regard had run on either side. He had watched them dance around each other for years; watched the dance change when Robbie had joined the team. An introduction that he knew had shaken Michael for Robbie was the biggest flirt Stuart had ever come across. The fact that he seemed to notice Jackie as a woman, not just one of the guys had not been lost on Michael.

It was due to this that Michael had taken exception to Robbie; his presence had made him unsure of Jackie and had disabled his own equilibrium in regards to her. Stuart had watched all this with a smirk; it was very rare to see something rattle Michael as much as the new dynamic brought about by Robbie had.

Jackie being the only female had never been a problem before: McVitie and Taggart would never have posed a threat and Stuart himself even less so. Jackie was by no means his type. But throw in a roguishly attractive DI and Stuart had merely sat back and watched the fireworks.

As a consequence he had been shocked, to say the least, when Jackie had married Brian. He had always assumed that if Jackie ever were to disentangle herself from...whatever it was she had with Michael, it would be with Robbie. The man who had turned her head, but Stuart was unsure as to whether he had touched her heart.

As he watched them now, holding hands whilst Jackie tried to keep herself together he began to think that maybe he hadn't. He was pretty sure that he could in the future, had possibly even made some headway at this point in time. But now he was certain there had always been a pretty significant obstacle that Robbie had to overcome before he could conquer Jackie's heart: DCI Michael Jardine.

Stuart wondered now whether her marriage to Brian had been a safety measure or even a way to level out the competition within the office. As things _had_ settled down once she had made her choice through marrying someone completely different.

Now it seemed that Burke would be running the show: another unknown quality added to the mix; but with Michael gone Stuart was fairly certain that things would undergo a significant change. He glanced back at Jackie and Robbie, wishing there was something that _he_ could do to make Jackie feel better.

He smiled as an idea struck him.

~*~

Jackie was sitting at her desk, still numb. She didn't know what to think any more, Burke's words had affected her more than she cared to admit. Even to herself.

The thought that Michael might have had secrets from her cut her to the quick. She had never kept anything from him and the thought that he might have hurt. Though if she was honest with herself she would have to admit that what hurt her the most was the thought that if Michael _had_ killed himself she hadn't known. She'd had no idea that this had affected him that badly, he hadn't come to her; she hadn't been able to help him.

Burke shot her a slightly irritated glance as he walked passed; she got the hint: she should be working.

She opened her desk drawer in order to retrieve a file and stopped dead.

On top of all of her files and papers was a block of chocolate. Michael had been the only one who had known about her chocolate predilection and had often slipped a block into her desk drawer when he noticed that a case or just life in general was taking its toll on her.

Of all the people in the station there was only one other person who could possibly know about that and have quietly done the same.

She glanced up at Stuart and noticed that he was innocently regarding his computer screen, a little too innocently. He glanced at her and saw her looking at him. He gave her a small, comforting smile and she gave him a watery one in return.

Stuart's small gesture had meant a lot to her in itself, but on a deeper level it had served to remind her that the Michael she had known and loved would not have thrown himself into the Clyde. Something must have happened to him and she was determined to find out what it was.


End file.
